Guangdong National Orchestra of China to make U.S. debut in Seattle — Launches contest to help promote traditional Chinese music locally

Seattle — The Guangdong National Orchestra of China (GNOC) will make its U.S. debut in Seattle, in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s West Coast visit.

Building on the spirit of cultural exchange embodied in the U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange program, the GNOC will perform two concerts on Sep. 12 and 13 at Benaroya Hall.

Its new program, the Silk Road Melody, was composed by Chinese composer Zhao Jiping, who is well known for writing the scores of such films as Farewell, My Concubine and Red Sorghum, and as part of Yo-yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble.

The concert series is presented as a part of the third annual West Coast “Across the Pacific China Arts Festival,” by the China Arts and Entertainment Group, affiliated with China’s Ministry of Culture.